HAMPDEN — The Hampden Selectboard met with department heads on Dec. 9 to discuss where the town’s finances stand and what is anticipated for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1, 2025. The meeting was a key step in creating that year’s budget.
EAST LONGMEADOW — East Longmeadow owns 16 buildings, many of which need upgrades. “We can’t replace every old building at once,” Councilor Jonathan Torcia said at the Dec. 10 Town Council meeting. To address this, the council voted to create a Capital Stabilization Account.
EAST LONGMEADOW — The East Longmeadow Center Town District Steering Committee took the first concrete step toward creating the district by mapping out the district’s boundaries, using input from residents.
New York City famously had the Stonewall Inn and Club 82. In Boston, there was Sporters and The Other Side. The history of mid-20th century LGBTQ+ bars and hotspots in these cities has been well documented. But the history of Springfield, which also had a bustling LGBTQ+ nightlife, has largely gone undocumented, according to Anne Wheeler, a Springfield College professor who started The Western Massachusetts LGBTQ+ Oral History Project.
SPRINGFIELD — Wellpoint members will continue to have access to Baystate Health’s resources after the health benefits company and healthcare organization reached a new multi-year contract on Dec. 10.
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield City Council voted unanimously to approve a $1.3 million three-year grant from the federal Department of Justice to improve access to treatment and recovery services for homeless people with substance use disorders.